Save It

The house next to us is being torn down. The developer has already cut down several trees on the lot. We are hoping to keep the two trees that stand smack dab in the middle of our property and the lot being developed. Our backyard fence actually goes around the two trees in question!

The developer wants all the trees to come down and, last fall, was hastily cutting branches off the two shared trees before I went out to speak to him.

I contacted the city in hopes someone there would be able to help us protect the two disputed trees from destruction. The pair of trees provide our yard with shade, a bit of privacy and they serve as a perfect perching place for birds eating at our busy feeders. 

A city urban planner agreed to meet me at our home during lunch hour Monday April 23rd so that the situation could be assessed firsthand.

On the date of the scheduled meeting, I was running late. My punctuality could potentially be called into question! I was supposed to meet the urban planner at 12:10. Driving to our house, I was caught behind a slow motorist who, annoyingly, preferred doing 40 in a 50 zone. I tailgated, to get the driver to go faster, so I wouldn’t be late for my appointment.

Finally, the driver turned on their left turn signal. Since I was going straight at that corner, I pulled alongside the slowpoke. I looked at the woman who was driving and before she made her turn, she made a face at me.  She made the turn. I kept going and turned left at the next corner.

I got out of my vehicle in the driveway at home, on time, and a minute or two later, lo and behold the slow-driving woman pulled up at our house. If she recognized me and/or my vehicle, she graciously never showed it.

I’m sure there’s a lesson in there somewhere, but I’m just as sure I don’t want to hear it.